OSU to sign Africentric's Ferguson

When she first contemplated the possibilities of playing college basketball several years ago, Raven Ferguson didn't dare look much farther than Ohio State for a simple reason.

When she first contemplated the possibilities of playing college basketball several years ago, Raven Ferguson didn't dare look much farther than Ohio State for a simple reason.

"It was the only school that I thought would like me," said Ferguson, a senior guard at Africentric. "I was young, you know?"

Years passed and letters from the likes of Michigan State, Louisville, the University of Miami and Xavier arrived to court her.

"It was like, 'Oh, other people do like me,'" Ferguson said.

Her first love, however, lingered and Ferguson decided to cast her lot with the Buckeyes after her official visit last week. She plans to sign a letter of intent to play for Ohio State on Nov. 10.

"I've wanted to play for them since the eighth grade," she said. "And I wanted my family and friends to be able to come and see me play. So why not go to Ohio State and help them win?"

Ferguson, a 5-foot-11 wing, averaged 23.8 points for the Nubians last season and was a second team Associated Press all-Ohio player. She is ranked No. 35 in the Class of 2011 by the ESPN HoopGurlz site and No. 44 by the Blue Star Report.

Africentric coach Will McKinney compared her favorably with former Ohio State playmaking guard Brandie Hoskins.

"I've coached (Ferguson) since the eighth grade," he said. "I also coached Brandie in the eighth grade. She's like Brandie with a little better jump shot. She is explosive. This (commitment) is really good."